On the afternoon of 11 June 2020, we hosted our first ever virtual closing ceremony for our Master of Science in Public Policy and Human Development (MPP). The event formally concluded the academic year and gave us the chance to congratulate our students for completing their programme courses. Beyond a live musical performance, we heard from numerous staff and students — ending the toughest of years on the highest of notes. Below is a selection of quotes from standout speakers including ou...
By June 2020, teaching online has become second nature for most of us at Maastricht University – or so you would think. We’ve done it for three months now. Teachers have been trained on how to deal with the various platforms, while students have been explained why we had to move online and why they have to make a commitment from their end to make things work. Still, even though I’m used to hosting blended learning teaching programmes, well trained in offering online classes, and my student...
What are these corona-days like for students in Maastricht? How is the coronavirus affecting their studies and other aspects of their lives? Maastricht University’s independent newspaper Observant is running a series of interviews with current students to find out how they are coping with the shift to online education. Two of our Master’s students in Public Policy and Human Development, Thierry Bleijswijk and Maren Slangen, shared their experience. Cleaning ambulances as a Red Cross...
The United Nations University (UNU) is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Bartel Van de Walle as the next Director of the United Nations University Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT). Prof. Van de Walle will take up his position on 1 September 2020. Prof. Van de Walle will take over from current Director Prof. Bart Verspagen, who will complete his second term on 31 August 2020. Under his directorship over the last eight years,...
You want to interview refugees and migrants on their journey, but they must – as is good scientific practice – first give permission and sign a form. Many refugees however, will never put their signature on anything. How do you deal with that? Also, what if a participant asks for money? Can you always refuse? Dr. Katie Kuschminder travelled to Italy to carry out research by moving among the many migrants from Africa and the Middle East. The Canadian wanted to know why they had braved the crossin...
"I think that the award is a well-deserved recognition for the field of development economics. I was not surprised that these three scholars were awarded the prize: they really changed the way we now think about evaluating the effectiveness of development (policy) interventions." Prof. Eleonora Nillesen...
“It's the first time I've felt 'at home' so quickly in a new environment. Every day at UNU-MERIT is a pleasure. The tutorial sessions are alive, dynamic and very interesting! You can tell that every student is happy to be here and entirely committed.” ...
"In a way, he has a vision that is more eclectic, more theoretical than somebody like Helen Clark, who would be more practical and policy-minded. But their concerns are more or less the same: the future of the planet and sustainable development. They simply take different approaches."...
Imagine you, a researcher, are given a bag of money, unlimited time and personnel. What research would you do? Dr. Zina Nimeh, university lecturer of Social Protection and Human Development, wants to discover why people no longer appreciate the welfare state. … Solidarity is the basis of the welfare state. Everybody makes a contribution in order to help and protect those who are vulnerable in society, for example by paying more tax than in a country that doesn’t have a welfare state ...